Sewing-machine attachment



(No Model.)

J. H. GASKINS.

SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT. No. 588,677. Patented Aug. 24,1897.

I 1 My 515m I I add M0 Witmaom I i QJO Z/IbZ J UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. GASKINS, OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA.

SEWING-MACHINE ATTACHMENT.

.SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 588,677, dated August 24, 1897.

Application filed March 31 1897.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JOHN H. GASKINS, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Park View, Portsmouth, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machine Attachments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to an attachment to sewing-machines for adapting them to be operated by hand instead of by the feet.

It is a well-understood fact that many persons are physically incapacitated from operatinga sewing-machine with the feet and that many are prohibited by physicians from so operating a sewing-machine for reasons that are well understood.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple and efficient attachment that can be quickly and easily attached to or removed from any machine in common use for adapting it to be operated by hand. It will be understood from the following description and claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a sewing-machine with the improvement applied, and Fig. 2 represents the several parts of the attachment in side elevation.

The machine to which the attachment is to be applied may be of any usual construction, 1 indicating the table thereof, and 2 the treadle. To the forward end of the treadle, on one side thereof, is rigidly secured an arm 3, forming a lever extension of said treadle, the forward end of said extension or arm being provided, preferably, with an angular lug or car 4:: between the upturned outer end of which and the end of the arm 3 is pivoted the lower end of an upright connecting-rod 5. The upper end of this rod passes through a guiding-loop 6, formed on a forked clip 7, adapted to grasp the edge of the machine-table l and to be secured thereto by a thumb-screw 8, passing through the upper arm of theclip, as shown.

9 indicates a lever provided with a handle Serial No. 630,042. (No model.)

10 for operating the lever,which in rear of said and is connected therewith by a horizontal pivot 11, passing through a longitudinal slot in the lever, of sufficient length to prevent binding or cramping of the parts.

The lever 9 is pivoted near its rear end in an eye 12 at the lower end of a hanger 13, screwed into or otherwise fastened at its upper end to the lower face of the table 1. The rear end of the lever 9 extends beyond the hanger l3 and passes through a perforated Weight 14, adjustable on said end, for counterbalancing the weight of the lever 9 and rod 5, said weight being held at the desired adj ustment by means of a set-screw 15.

16 indicates an ornamental knob on the upper end of the connecting-rod 5.

The operation of the attachment described will be readily understood. The arrangement of the adjustable weight serves to relieve the operative parts of the machine of any added weight or resistance. The handle 10 of the lever 9 is brought up into convenient position to be grasped and vibrated by the operator for actuating the machine.

By the construction and arrangement of the parts as described a simple, effective, and durable attachment is secured, one not liable to get out of order, and one adapting the ordinary machine to be conveniently and easily operated by hand when required. Further, it is compact in itsarrangement and can be quickly and easily detached from the machine when not required.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new, and sought to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an attachmentto sewing-machines for adapting them to be operated by hand, the combination with a treadle extensionarm, of the counterbalanced hand-lever, the pendent support in which said lever is pivoted, an upright rod pivotal] y connected with said arm and lever, and a guide for the up-,

per end of said rod adapted to be attached to the machine-table substantially'as described.

2. Ina sewingmachine attachment, the combination of the treadle extension arm, the

upright rod connected to said arm, the hand- In testimony whereof I have signed this lever connected to said rod for actuating it, specification in the presence of two subscribsaidlever being pivoted in a pendent support, ing' witnesses.-

and a clip adapted to be attached to the ma- JOHN H. GASKINS. chine -table and provided with an eye for Witnesses:

guiding the upper end of the connecting-rod, H. L. WATTS,

substantially as described. WVEYMOUTH EVANS. 

